Vilnius Archcathedral Basilica and Paris Notre Dame Cathedral will be connected by a thread of prayer and solidarity. On the evening of Saturday, September 7, during the celebration of the Evening Liturgical Hour, Marcel Dupré's composition "Les Vêpres de la Vierge" (The Vespers of St. Mary), created exactly 100 years ago, will be played in the Vilnius Archcathedral. On September 8, Sunday, St. Donations collected at the evening Mass of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary will go towards the restoration of Notre-Dame in Paris.
In order for all those who wanted to contribute to the restoration of the Paris Cathedral to be able to do so, it will be possible to express their solidarity with a monetary donation until the 15th, by bringing an envelope with the inscription "For the restoration of the Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral" to the office of the Vilnius Archcathedral. Organizations or individuals are invited to transfer funds to the bank account of the parish (Vilnius St. Bishop Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus Archcathedral Basilica Parish, LT63 7044 0600 0114 1721, SEB bankas), marking the purpose of payment as "Donation for the reconstruction of Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral".
News of the devastating fire at Notre-Dame in Paris spread around the world at the start of Holy Week on April 15. The disaster personally touched many people, not necessarily Catholics or believers in general: the Paris Cathedral is one of the symbols of world civilization, part of the cultural heritage of mankind. Despite the great efforts of the firemen, the sanctuary was destroyed fire unexpectedly allowed many to understand, feel and appreciate their identity.
"As long as the roots are alive, the tree can recover." Therefore, I really want to wish and invite everyone to pray, to pray for the Church of Paris, to pray for the believers and people of France, to pray that no one gives up and that the beauty of the sanctuary is restored, and I also urge you not to forget your roots," said the chairman of the Lithuanian bishops' conference after the disaster , Archbishop of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas.
From September 1 to 15, the highlights of the support campaign for the Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral are prayer and solidarity. As the administrator of the Vilnius Archcathedral said, Fr. Virginijus Česnulevičius, we are the church of Christ and when one member is sick, it is not good for everyone.
"The disaster at Notre-Dame in Paris apparently did not leave anyone indifferent. I know many of our parishioners prayed for the fire to be contained, just as in Paris itself the faithful said the rosary, chanted until the fire was extinguished. Solidarity is the essence of our Christianity: sharing, giving is more blessed than receiving. Of course, our support may not be essential, but by contributing to the rebuilding of the Paris Cathedral, we may be renewed in our hearts as a Church, becoming like Christ," said the administrator of the Vilnius Archcathedral.
Dupré's "Les Vêpres de la Vierge" performed in support of Notre-Dame de Paris will alternate striking organ improvisations with Gregorian chant antiphons, Ave Maris Stella and Magnificat verses. M. Dupré's plays will be performed on the large organ by Agnė Petrushkevičiūtė, Schola Gregoriana Vilnensis and her friends will sing, and Živilė Stonytė will accompany the Gregorian chant on the small organ.
According to the director of the Schola Gregoriana Vilnensis choir, Dainiaus Juoženas, the antiphons of the evening liturgical hour in the liturgy at that time were inspired by the biblical hymns of the Song of Songs - wonderful poetry of love.
"The Beloved is accepted here as the Church or St. Image of the Virgin Mary: "I am black, but beautiful, Jerusalem daughters. So the king loved me and took me into his chambers." Or: "Because the winter has already passed, the rain stopped and dried up. Arise, my friend, and come." This is how we, responding to the calamity that befell the most famous Cathedral of the main daughter of the Church - France, will unite in prayer for the restoration of the house of God", said the director of the choir of Schola Gregoriana Vilnensis.
The first St. Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit celebrated the Mass in the fire-ravaged Notre-Dame Cathedral on June 15, exactly two months after the disaster. For security reasons, only about thirty people participated in them.
While waiting for the officials' decision on whether it will be possible to open the space next to the cathedral to the public, the diocese planned to hold evening services in the chapel.
French President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious goal to restore the church destroyed by fire within five years. However, French architects say that such works will take much more time. Sigita Zumerytė (ELTA)
